Pineapples continue to be planted in Bauya, Just Hope seeking additional supply of plants

February 14, 2014

Since our first planting last November, local crews have been planting pineapple suckers procured from our sole supplier. Suckers are “plantlets” that grow on a mature pineapple plant, and they can be removed and transplanted to create an expanding supply of plants.

To date we have received 53,000 suckers, which will cover about 3.5 acres of land and will each turn into a mature pineapple plant with a harvestable fruit and several transplantable suckers in about 18 months. We are promised about another 50,000, which we expect will get us to 6 acres planted by the end of February. To take advantage of opportunities to expand into other communities around Hope Town, we are seeking additional supplies of pineapple suckers. Ultimately the pineapple farm will supply its own suckers for expansion; until then we must obtain starter suckers.

Twenty workers have been employed in the planting of the suckers. They can plant approximately 3,500 suckers per day on land that they previously prepared by removing brush and stumps. Prime planting season is right now, before the rainy season begins in May and workers can cease manual irrigation of the acres of pineapple suckers in the ground. A member of the bromeliad family, the pineapple plant is naturally drought resistant, making it ideal for the climate in this area, where many weeks can pass without rain during the dry season.